End of the Chase
by pnai-87
Summary: Ranma and Akane's sparring match goes slightly off course. ONE SHOT


The End of the Chase

Summary: Inspired by a chain letter. A sparring match between Ranma and Akane goes slightly off course. ONE SHOT

One night after dinner, Ranma and Akane were both training hard in the dojo. He had surprised her with not only an offer for ice cream after school (his treat), but also an invitation to spar.

Her father expressed his misgivings, disliking the idea of Ranma possibly hurting his little girl.

"Don't worry, Mr. Tendo. I got a feeling she can handle me." Ranma had said, cheerfully.

Though everyone stared at him in surprise, Akane fought the urge to kiss him. _Sparring with Ranma! What a treat!_ It meant a lot to her that he took her seriously as a fellow martial artist.

At first, she was afraid he would go easy on her, or turn into a girl so he wouldn't hurt her as badly, but she could feel the bruises forming a few minutes into the fight. She wouldn't have it any other way. She got her licks in though. She grinned. This was the most fun she'd had since their failed wedding.

_She's really loving this_, he thought, once again pleasantly surprised by this girl.

"I gotta say, Akane, you're not half bad. You got real potential."

She flashed a smile. Catching the quick blank look on his face, a thread of mischief coursed through her. When he threw his arm at her, she lunged back, grabbed his arm and spun until her chest was braced against his.

"H-Hey! W-What're you doing?"

"Ranma, do you think I'm cute?" She wanted to see him stutter, but he disappointed her.

"Huh? Of course not."

She frowned. "Would you, if my hair was as long as Shampoo's?"

As he tried to shift his hold, she scrambled to latch onto his back. "You gotta be kidding me."

"Do you even like being with me?" She demanded, feeling her temper rise.

"No way. What gave you that idea?" He twisted to reach her, but she was faster. She rammed her knee onto a pressure point on his back, sending him sprawling.

"I suppose I'm not good enough for you!" She growled. "You're always saying how I'm such a tomboy and built like a brick!" She punctuated each word with a swift, hard kick to his side. "Tell me. What would you do if I just left? If I broke off this stupid engagement and ran off with someone else? Would you even care?" She stopped kicking him, turning away.

"Akane? You're not making any sense." He winced, getting up gingerly. _Somehow I made her angry, again_. Her voice had dropped, confusing him.

"Stupid you, for not understanding. Stupid me, for loving you anyway." She wiped furiously at the tears gathering in her eyes. She'd cry later, she promised herself, but not in front of him.

She started out of the dojo, but stopped when he grabbed her arm. "Let go, Ranma," She said, evenly, determined to leave with her pride at least.

He ignored her and pulled her to him. "I've never thought of you as cute, Akane. Sexy. Beautiful. Breath taking, even. But not cute." He felt her relax against him, and plowed through. "And this hair…" She shivered when he placed tiny kisses at the base of her neck. "Not only does it suite you, but it lets me see the sexy curve of your neck." She gasped a little as he started to nibble on her. "R-Ranma…"

He turned her to face him and pressed his lips to hers. She opened her mouth to give a half-hearted protest, and he took full advantage, deepening the kiss. Her eyes widened, before fluttering close. _Wow. Oh, wow. _She could feel herself melting. Her already weak knees buckled. Hardly noticing, she linked her fingers behind his head and gave him everything she had.

A few moments later he finally let up, both of them flushed and panting. "I don't _like_ being with you, Akane. I _need_ to be."

Her eyes flew open, stunned. He smiled a rare soft smile. "I wouldn't care if you left me. I'd follow you. Wherever you decided to go, I'd be right behind you. You wouldn't be able to get rid of me."

Her breath caught when he laved his tongue over her ear. He tilted her head up so she was looking directly into his eyes. "If you ran off with another guy I wouldn't stop you. I'd want you to be happy. I'd let you go, even if it killed me. I'd do it." The flash of pain she saw there was soon replaced by a familiar smugness. "But I don't gotta worry about that anymore."

He held her close and nuzzled her neck. "You're mine, Akane. Mine." That's when she knew. He loved her. Even though he hadn't yet said it, she knew.

She sighed happily, and snuggled into his arms. _Oh, Ranma. Sometimes you're just too good to be true._

"As for this brick." He slowly caressed the curves of her form, "Someday soon, I'm gonna have to show you how much I've fantasized—"

She slapped her hands over his mouth, blushing madly. "Pervert," She muttered.

He laughed, and swung her around. "If I ask you something, do you promise not to cry?"

She tensed. He wouldn't break her heart, not after everything he had said. She nodded, unable to keep her chest from pounding with dread.

She blinked when he went down on one knee. He took something from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger. "I love you, Akane. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she whispered, but he wasn't done.

"Have a family, and grow old me?"

She threw herself into his arms, with a force that knocked him over. "Yes. Yes. Yes!" She showered his face with delighted kisses.

"Akane." He cupped her face and rubbed her tears away with his thumb. "You said you weren't going to cry." His eyes held such a wealth of love, that the tears only fell faster.

"I'll cry if I want, you idiot." She laid her head on his shoulder.

"Tomboy." He murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

(-)(-)(-)

Kasumi found them there next morning. They lay sleeping beneath the training hall sign. His arms curled protectively around her, her head nestled in the crook of his shoulder.  
Her eyes misted over, when she saw the gold band on her sister's hand resting over her fiancee's heart.

"At last," She murmured. "Take care of her, Ranma." She slipped out quietly, wanting to let them enjoy the timely end of an age-old chase.

_The end_


End file.
